|
|
Post by endo on Feb 14, 2013 15:35:12 GMT -5
I don't know if I've ever posted pics anywhere of the WWWF replica belt I used to have. It was handmade for me by a guy in Canada who did a pretty good job on it. He only made a few, so it was pretty cool to have one. I ended up selling it to a guy in Japan. Of course, now Dave Millican makes a pretty much exact replica that I'd love to have one day. Anyway, this is the one I had...    And the ones that Dave Millican makes. I'd get the one on purple leather with the green backing like Backlund had.    davemillicanbelts.com/WWWFBacklund012912.htm |
|
|
|
Post by gorepolice on Feb 15, 2013 10:48:01 GMT -5
That is one beautiful belt. Just a simple and classy design.
|
|
|
|
Post by endo on Feb 15, 2013 10:56:42 GMT -5
It's always been my favorite belt of all time. I remember watching wrestling on Saturday morning when Superstar Graham came back and destroyed the belt on TV, that freaking killed me, lol.
|
|
|
|
Post by gorepolice on Feb 15, 2013 10:59:28 GMT -5
Definitely a good choice for a favorite. That's a belt a champion can be proud of, unlike some other belt that shall remain nameless.
|
|
|
|
Post by endo on Feb 16, 2013 21:11:29 GMT -5
It was a great belt. The thing at the time was that a ton of wrestling organizations had the same type by Mulkavitch. Even the old Eastern States title that became the Mid-Atlantic title was made in the same style by the same guy. So, I get Vince wanting to get rid of it and update it. Having Graham come in and destroy the belt was the perfect way to get rid of the old one. One of the best angles I've ever seen anywhere. It's just too bad that whoever made the "Big Green", that replaced this one did such a ish job. By the time Hogan won it, plates were already being held on by velcro.  I loved the belt, but it was replaced quickly. |
|
|
|
Post by NDX on Feb 16, 2013 21:53:03 GMT -5
I always liked Backlund's belt there. Like those side panels.
|
|
|
|
Post by endo on Feb 16, 2013 23:05:41 GMT -5
I loved it too. It had the names of all the WWF champions and the dates of their title reigns. I thought that was a really cool thing that set it apart from other belts of the time.
But, because of the crappy way it was made, they were looking for a new belt almost immediately after Hogan won it.
Plates were hanging on for dear life with Backlund as champ. After going through Sheik and Hogan, it was time to either fix it or get a new one.
|
|
|
|
Post by NDX on Feb 16, 2013 23:10:34 GMT -5
Well, that did give us the Winged Eagle eventually, so that's not a bad thing in the end.
|
|
|
|
Post by endo on Feb 16, 2013 23:15:58 GMT -5
The Winged Eagle is probably the best looking wrestling belt ever made, IMO. But, I really liked the one Backlund had, the green one. It fit what the WWF was then.
Nothing fancy, but meaningful.
After Hogan, the Winged Eagle all the way.
And, that picture above of Backlund with the belt had to be a reason they decided to go with Hogan. WTF man? Can you look any goofier and expect people to put you on the same level as Flair at the time?
|
|
|
|
Post by NDX on Feb 16, 2013 23:45:09 GMT -5
Thing is, Backlund's goofiness was endearing. But I can see why they needed to move on from him and establish a new hero. Wrestling was evolving and Backlund was more a pure wrestler and characters were starting run wild (no pun intended). Hogan was the obvious choice. But Backlund held his own as champ, and had some good matches.
I'd buy a dvd compilation of his matches. Hell, he came back a decade later and revitalized his career. People probably remember him more as the man that snapped and took on Bret Hart than his 4 year title reign.
|
|
|
|
Post by endo on Feb 17, 2013 18:15:22 GMT -5
It's funny, his unofficial nick name was always The All American Boy. I think it was The Grand Wizard that started calling him Howdy Doody.
But, that just made his fans like him even more in the early years of his reign. Then, towards the end of his reign he kind of changed his image.
He started wearing the Olympic style singlet and the really short boots. And he shaved his head. Add to that he was wrestling the same heels he always had during his reign on a rotating basis. And a lot of the time, the matches were having the same finishes and angles they had during that particular heels last run in the WWF.
The same guys was just a side effect of the territory days. But what the NWA did to keep it fresh was have their champion literally defend all over the world.
Backlund occasionally defended outside of the WWF, but not very often.
And fans were starting to get smart about the business. I think towards the end of his run, even his fans now looked at him as Howdy Doody. Goofy and outdated. While I hated that the WWF lost it's old school vibe, Vince was definitely smart to bring in Hogan and go national when he did.
|
|
